PHILADELPHIA – They heard it all week. It got to the point where members of the Eagles defense were being asked how good they felt the Buccaneers’ defense was. It got to them.

“It was a matter of respect,” Eagles cornerback Al Harris said. “The score pretty much showed what was what.”

What was what included a devastating display of defense, Philly style, in yesterday’s 21-3 rout of the Buccaneers in an NFC wild-card game at Veteran’s Stadium. The Tampa Bay defense contained all the big names and possessed the gaudy reputation, but it was the Eagles defense that clearly came up with a more effective and inspired performance.

While the heralded Bucs could not contain the likes of Chris Warren (85 rushing yards) on the ground and had no answers for the mobility and play-making of Donovan McNabb, the Eagles did everything right against a woeful Tampa attack. They sacked Shaun King four times and gave him little or no room to maneuver. They thoroughly abused Warrick Dunn (eight rushing attempts, one lousy yard) and limited all the damage done by Keyshawn Johnson (6-106) to fourth-quarter garbage time.

This was Eagles defense 1, Bucs defense 0.

“We definitely wanted to go out there and let people know what kind of defense we have here,” safety Brian Dawkins said. “When you have the media asking other defensive guys about another team’s defense, that’s no respect they’re giving you. We feel we didn’t get our due respect. When you hear that so much all week long about another team’s defense it kind of gets on your nerves.”

Memo to the Giants: Do not talk up your defense this week. It will only anger the Eagles.

“We knew Tampa Bay had a great defense . . . we hear it on the news every day,” defensive end Hugh Douglas said with a laugh.

Douglas had a huge game, sacking King twice and causing a fumble that led to an Eagles touchdown. Douglas was far more effective than Warren Sapp, the talkative Bucs defensive tackle who had a quiet game with four tackles and virtually no impact.

“I didn’t even know Warren was out there playing,” linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said in a mocking voice. “I might have heard his name called once. Our offensive line did a great job. Donovan [McNabb] was back there patting, patting, patting the ball.”